


i can't make you stay

by truefinches



Category: Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys - My Chemical Romance (Album)
Genre: Alcohol, Angst, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Nonbinary Jet Star (Danger Days), Past Character Death, Smoking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 17:22:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29953368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/truefinches/pseuds/truefinches
Summary: Jet Star hadn't seen the rest of his old crew in a while. People get ghosted, or they leave, or maybe you leave. Something is different about tonight, though. What if they could all be together again, in a way? Just for a little.
Relationships: Fun Ghoul & Jet Star & Kobra Kid & Party Poison (Danger Days), Fun Ghoul & Jet Star (Danger Days), Fun Ghoul & Kobra Kid (Danger Days), Jet Star & Kobra Kid (Danger Days)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 3





	i can't make you stay

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CarolineGrayson](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CarolineGrayson/gifts).



It was bound to happen eventually, but neither Kobra Kid nor Jet Star were quite expecting to see one another at the pop-up bar that night. Jet had just cracked open the can of flat beer the bartender handed them, and they leaned with their back against the bar. He only took a sip before feeling someone jostling his arm, nearly spilling his drink on himself. 

“Hey, careful-” they snapped, but the rest of their words died in their throat when they turned to the killjoy next to them. Kobra Kid leaned heavily against the bar, looking straight forward. He turned to Jet next to him, squinting. “Kobra...holy shit, dude.” Kobra blinked.

“Huh?” he replied. His eyes widened after a moment. “Jet...whoa...didn’ think I’d see you here,” he slurred. Jet set his can down on the bar and immediately put a hand on Kobra’s arm, who drunkenly shrugged it away. “Didn’ think I’d see anyone here…” 

“What happened to you, man?” Jet asked. Kobra looked...older. His eyes were sunken and dark, and his usual bleach blond hair was cropped close to his head. Jet thought they noticed a few new nicks and scars poking through the little exposed skin. Kobra tried to take a few steps away, but he quickly lost his balance and stumbled. Jet swooped in and caught him quickly. This time, Kobra let Jet hold him up. “I’m takin’ you outside, just hold onto me…”

The warm night air was still, and it did little to cool the two killjoys as they stepped outside together. Jet led Kobra towards the Trans-Am, but as soon as he realized that’s where they were headed, he dug his heels in to stop them. Jet followed Kobra’s sight and realized he was trembling a little bit looking at the beat-up old car. Jet took an encouraging step towards the Am, but Kobra didn’t follow.

“M’not gettin’ in,” he said, stubbornly. Jet held his hands up in surrender. 

“Ok, I won’t make you get in,” they said in what they hoped was a soothing voice. “You can just sit on the hood if you want, so you don’t have to stand.” Kobra stayed stock still where he was. He threw a glance over his shoulder, as if he was contemplating making a break for it, but he didn’t run. He just gave Jet a challenging glare.

“Y’don’ need to baby me, I’m doin’ jus’ fine,” Kobra eventually said. As glad as Jet had been to see Kobra again, he rolled his eyes at the other ‘joy’s stubbornness. 

“I’m not tryna baby you, asshole, you can barely even walk straight. I just…” They sighed. “I just can’t believe you’re here. I just wanna talk.” Kobra took a blurry look over Jet. He noticed a few gray hairs threading through his still lush mane of curls. Their signature black leather jacket was torn and scuffed, just adding to their suddenly, Kobra noticed, tired appearance. Jet rummaged around in his pockets and gently extended his hand, offering a cigarette in calloused fingers. “Sit with me?” they asked, a note of hope in their voice. Kobra hesitated, but he took the cigarette and rolled it between his fingers.

“Sure,” he said quietly. Jet broke into a soft smile. He fished a matchbook from his other pocket and struck a match. Kobra held the cigarette to his lips, taking a deep drag as Jet held the small flame. There was no breeze to be felt for miles, but Jet still cupped their hand around the match, close to Kobra’s hands. He didn’t step away, either, when Kobra finally blew out a lungful of smoke. They shook out the match and tilted their head towards the Am. Kobra took another drag before following. 

Jet hopped up onto the dented hood of the car and held a hand out to Kobra. He handed Jet his cigarette and made a point of clumsily climbing onto the hood after him. Jet took a quick drag and handed it back when Kobra finally settled himself with his back against the windshield. Neither of them said a word for a while, they just stared up at the endless dark sky above them. A little crowd noise drifted over from the bar in the distance, but it only served to keep the silence from feeling as awkward as it really was. When Kobra finished his cigarette, he hesitantly offered it over to Jet for one final drag. Jet inhaled deeply and flicked the smoldering remains into the sand. 

“Kobra,” Jet finally said. “I still...barely even believe it’s you. It’s been, what, two years?” 

“Three,” Kobra replied. He looked at his dirty fingernails to avoid Jet’s eyes. “Been three years since I left.” He could feel Jet’s sad stare burning into the side of his face, so he turned his head away. When he didn’t elaborate any more, Jet propped himself up on one elbow. 

“...I stopped even hearing about you after the first year. Thought for sure you’d been ghosted. Still asked around, though.” They hesitated for just a moment before continuing. “Ghoul did, too, though...he understood why you left. I mean, we both did.” Kobra visibly stiffened, but Jet kept on. “We just...really missed you, man. Losing Poison and then you...broke Ghoul’s heart. I dunno where he is, either, really...I see him praying by mailboxes sometimes, but it’s been a while since I’ve been able to make my way to one. To...make myself go to one.” A shuddering breath from Kobra made Jet grow quiet. 

“‘M...sorry,” was all Kobra could manage. He wiped roughly at his eyes with the back of his sleeve. “I jus’...” he trailed off. Jet gently reached a hand out and just touched Kobra’s other arm with his fingertips. Kobra finally turned his head to Jet, and their kind face almost made him want to burst into tears. 

“I get it, man, I really do,” Jet said. Their eyes searched Kobra’s face for just a moment before they suddenly sat up. “Do you wanna go with me? To a mailbox?” 

“What...like now?” Kobra replied. Jet nodded, eyes suddenly serious and pleading. 

“Yeah, I’ll drive us. You don’t have to, if you don’t want to, but…I just have a feeling about tonight. It’s gotta be a special night, ‘cause I’m seeing you, right?” For the first time in what felt like years, Kobra cracked a little smile. He just nodded in response, and Jet lit up. “Shit...yeah, let’s go. There’s the one by the diner that we can go to. Hop in!” With that, he slid off the hood and climbed right into the driver’s seat. Kobra followed right behind. 

They were both pretty quiet in the car. Kobra rolled down the passenger side window and leaned one arm out while they drove. He was starting to sober up some, but that only made him more aware of exactly where they were going. He started fidgeting with his clothes and hair, agitated. Jet stole a few glances over to him while they drove. 

“Can I turn on the music or somethin’? I can’t fuckin’ stand hearin’ my own brain,” Kobra eventually said, a little more harshly than he meant. Jet just gestured to the radio.

“You can try, man, but it’s been a little busted for a while.” Kobra started fiddling with the dial, cursing a little under his breath when only static poured from the speakers. “Kobra...you ok? We don’t have to go if you don’t want-”

“No, it’s fine,” he interrupted. Jet was about to retort when suddenly Kobra pounded a fist on the dashboard and a blast of music burst from the speakers. A Mad Gear song, right at the beginning of the energetic chorus. Both of them just stared at the radio in surprise for a moment before Jet broke into a grin. 

“Haven’t been able to get that to work for ages. It really is a special night,” Jet said, looking over at Kobra, who only tilted his shocked face from the radio to Jet. 

“I, uh...that’s always how Poison told me to get the radio workin’ when they would drive and I was shotgun,” he explained quietly. Jet’s smile turned a little sad, but he gave Kobra’s shoulder a quick pat before turning back to the road. 

The rest of the drive was silent except for the tinny radio, and it was too soon before Jet slowed to a stop. They put the car in park and shifted in their seat to look over at Kobra. Out in front of the car, the headlights pointed towards some dry shrubbery with a clear path cut through. Kobra stared out the windshield. It had been at least a year since he’d been here, but he knew the spot all too well. He felt his chest tighten and his mouth went dry.

“Kobra?” He started a little, turning to Jet. “You ready?” 

“I...I don’t know, I don’t think I should have come, I can’t-” he started. He felt his breath come in shallow, being this close to a mailbox made the whole moment too real. But before he could get too lost in his head…

“Hey. Can I touch you?” he heard Jet ask. He just nodded, and he felt Jet’s rough hand brush the side of his face, and when he finally turned, Jet looked at him so sweetly. “I’m right here with you, Kobes. Ok? You can hold onto me.” Kobra covered the back of Jet’s hand with his own. Finally, he nodded. Jet used his free hand to switch the headlights off and cut the engine. They undid theirs and Kobra’s seatbelts. “C’mon. Let’s go say hey to Poison.” Kobra reluctantly dropped his hand so the two of them could climb out of the car. Jet closed the door behind him and quickly rounded the car to meet Kobra on the other side. “Oh! Actually, can you open the glove compartment for me?” they asked. Kobra just nodded and opened it.

“Somethin’ in here?” he asked. Jet reached over Kobra and fished around for a moment before pulling out a dirty and ripped envelope. 

“I, uh...wrote a letter to Poison a while ago, I just...haven’t had the guts to come deliver it in a while,” Jet explained. He held the letter in both hands, just looking at his own messy scrawl on the purple stationary. Kobra looked up at them from his seat. He couldn’t really read Jet’s expression, but he placed a hand on his wrist when he stood. 

“I don’t think they’ll mind,” Kobra said so softly. The words almost didn’t make it past the lump in his throat, but it made Jet smile a little. 

“Yeah...yeah. C’mon.” They took Kobra’s hand and lead him down the short path towards the mailbox. It was a little hard to see in the dark, but the two knew the path well enough that they didn’t trip on any rocks or catch on any dry branches. The warm glow of candlelight in the distance alerted them. But as they approached the clearing, they noticed a figure kneeling in front of the mailbox, lighting the candles that surrounded it. Jet and Kobra stayed respectfully behind, giving the figure their space. Until the killjoy in question turned suddenly, aware of the company. Fun Ghoul. 

None of them moved for who knows how long as all three of them registered the presence of the others. Ghoul broke first. He clapped a hand over his mouth, barely holding back a sob. He sprinted the short distance, all but crashing into Kobra, holding him so tightly. Kobra, too shocked to do anything else, wrapped his long arms around Ghoul and squeezed. He rested his cheek against the top of Ghoul’s head while the other ‘joy choked out ragged cries onto Kobra’s shirt. Jet joined in shortly, putting an arm around each of their shoulders. 

“Kobra...it’s you...I thought…” Ghoul managed between cries. 

“M’sorry...missed you so fuckin’ much, Ghoul…” Kobra replied. He felt himself start to tear up as well, and when he looked over to see Jet wiping a tear from his face, that was all it took. “M’sorry...sorry…” They stood for a while before Ghoul finally peeled himself away with a shaky breath. He turned and quickly wrapped himself around Jet, tucking his arms into Jet’s jacket. They held Ghoul close.

“I told Kobra tonight was special,” Jet said quietly into Ghoul’s hair. Ghoul pulled back enough to look at him with watery eyes. “Had a feelin’ we’d see you here.” They grinned at each other through tears.

“M’so glad...you guys are here,” Ghoul said. “I just had, like...a feelin’. That I oughta be here. Been camped out here for a few days now, actually,” he explained when he, with one final squeeze, took a step back out of Jet’s arms. He looked over his shoulder at the mailbox. “Jus’ been missin’ everyone somethin’ fierce.” Jet pulled the crinkled letter from their pocket. 

“Missed you, too, Ghoulie. I got a quick delivery to make.” He slowly approached the mailbox with the letter in front of him. They took a moment, taking in the sight of all the gifts laid lovingly around the base of the mailbox. Things ranging from surprisingly immaculate cans of food, a pair of biking gloves, a dusty palette of eyeshadows, and CDs. Jet pressed a quick kiss to the envelope labeled “Party Poison”, and slipped it into the mailbox. He let out a breath. “Don’t worry,” they said as they turned back to the other two, “I already signed it for both of you, too.” Ghoul let out a short laugh, wiping his tears away on his sleeve. 

“Thanks, Jet,” he said. He reached out and grabbed ahold of Kobra’s hand, lacing their fingers together. Kobra looked down at him and let himself smile, just a little. “Are you sticking around?” he asked, not concealing the hope in his voice. Jet looked between them, expectant. 

“Oh...I, uh…” Kobra replied. “I dunno. Didn’t really...think about it. Didn’t think I’d be here an hour ago.” Ghoul’s face fell. 

“You gotta stay, Kobra. Please...and Jet-” he dragged Kobra a few steps so he could take Jet’s hand as well. “We’re all together again...you guys gotta stay. Please. I can’t...I don’t wanna be alone again.” 

“I’ll stay,” Jet said quickly. He squeezed Ghoul’s hand. Both of them turned to Kobra, who looked like he wanted to bolt.

“Ghoul...Jet...I, I can’t.” He could feel his breath coming in shallow again as Jet reached across to gently put a hand on Kobra’s other arm. “I really love you both, an’ I’m glad to see you, but…”

“But being around us just hurts, doesn’t it?” Ghoul finished for him, bitter. “Just makes you think about Poison?” 

“They were my fucking sibling, Ghoul, don’t do that. I miss them every day. I left ‘cause...I couldn’t fuckin’ take the pain anymore.”

“Guys, please…” Jet interjected. “Kobra...it’s your choice at the end of the day, man. But I think we could, y’know, help each other out. I know it’s fuckin’ corny but it’s easier to go through this shit with help.” Kobra tried to blink away the tears that threatened again to spill. 

“I spent three fuckin’ years by myself in the desert going through this shit.” He took a deep, shaky breath. “I’ll be ok. M’sorry,” he added, quietly. Ghoul didn’t look at him, but he let their hands drop. “Ghoul…”

“Whatever. Can’t make you stay. See you around, I guess,” Ghoul said, a distinct note of anger in his voice. Kobra met Jet’s eyes, who looked heartbroken. He took a step back from the two of them. 

“Yeah...see ya.” With that, Kobra turned and made his way slowly back towards the path back to the car. He had only taken a step or two into the dry brush when he felt a cool breeze against his face, the first breeze they’d felt all night. It started gently, just moving the hot air around, but the further he stepped, the stronger it became, until a full blown gust rattled the branches and whipped up sand into Kobra’s face. He held his hands up to try and keep the stinging out of his eyes, but the wind blew stronger. He turned his back against the wind and suddenly, it stopped. Jet and Ghoul’s sad looks had been replaced with matching shocked expressions. Kobra turned back away and the wind picked back up, blowing what felt like a handful of sand right into his face. “Augh, fuck!” 

“Dude...get back over here!” he heard Jet call. Kobra turned, but he stubbornly stayed where he was. As soon as his back turned, the breeze turned gentle again. Ghoul covered his mouth with his free hand. Kobra felt the sand shift around his feet, like the earth was threatening to pull him. He kicked one foot free, shaking the sand away. 

“It’s just the fuckin’ wind, I’m fine!” he called back. Kobra heard Ghoul half-laugh, half-sob. 

“Someone’s tryin’ to tell you somethin’!” Ghoul said, giddy. That made Kobra freeze. He looked up from where he stood at the endless clear sky. The stars twinkled above, same as they always did. He stood for he didn’t know how long, when a bright gold streak caught his eye. It was gone as soon as he looked at it, but then came another. Jet and Ghoul followed his gaze upwards and gaped together at the tiny shooting stars. Kobra followed the glittering trail of a particularly bright star as it dragged lazily across the sky, crossing straight above Jet and Ghoul. Kobra’s eyes rested on them as the star fizzled out. 

“Poison?” Kobra croaked, only to himself. A warm feeling, different from the sticky night air, washed over Kobra. He felt, for the first time in he couldn’t remember how long, safe. Almost peaceful. Definitely loved. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, tears were already streaming down his face. “Ok, I hear you.” He took a few running steps towards Ghoul and Jet, who met him halfway.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! i wrote this as part of the danger days playlist/fic swap hosted by @luckycharmdust on tumblr :^)
> 
> for tumblr user @untilyoufindme, inspired by her playlist:  
> -"alone together" fall out boy  
> -"iris" the goo goo dolls  
> -"stay" palaye royale  
> -"the bad list" z berg & ryan ross


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